One Last Song
by princessg101
Summary: The Doctor and River are spending their last night on Darillium. How can two people who never meet in the right order ever say goodbye?


One Last Song

 **A/N: Hello all! I hope you had a Merry Christmas, I sure did and with the Doctor Who Special giving me all the feels right now I had to write this and put it out with the rest of my regularly scheduled, though not strictly adhered to, upload. Drop a girl some comments and let me know what you think. ENJOY R &R PLZ! **

Twenty-four years. So much time to an average person and yet to a Timelord and his near Timelady wife, not enough. Not even close. They had gone the long way, a strange decision for them both but ultimately worth it. There were plenty of little side adventures to be had on Darillium and even when they weren't, they still found ways of entertaining themselves. They had rented an apartment in the city near the Singing Towers and were sure to make reservations every Christmas. Sometimes the Towers would sing, other times they were silent, observing the world from their lofty position. Tonight was their final Christmas, their last night on Darillium, after that…

The Doctor watched as River collected all the little baubles and mementos they had collected during their time. "What will you do with them?"

"Oh keep some of the TARDIS, might put up a few in my office," River said nonchalantly but the Doctor knew better. She was far from calm or not nearly so cool. "River…"

"Don't," River's voice turned hard. "Don't you dare."

The Doctor fell silent and continued to watch her flit around, packing and removing all traces they had ever been to this place. They got dressed and went to the restaurant as usual. By this point, they were valued customers and were given many perks like priority reservations, free wine and food for tasting. They were also well-known around the city which certainly helped as well. Whether they wanted to admit it or not, they had in fact settled in the city. They had a good life. They could conceivably stay past the impending sunrise but they wouldn't, it was as simple as that.

They entered the restaurant dressed to the nines. The hostess greeted them with a smile and a hand gesture indicating they could go ahead. After so many years, they didn't need directions or any help finding their table. Nodel was in charge that time but they were sure to greet Ramon before coming out on the balcony and surveying the towers. "Think they'll sing tonight?" the Doctor asked.

"It would be nice but you can never tell," River sighed. "The sky is a bit lighter though."

"Yes," indeed it was a few shades lighter. "Darillium days are even longer than the nights, something like thirty years."

"So why didn't you take me to lunch?"

"Just a preference I suppose," the Doctor shrugged. "I find that all the most interesting things happen at night and the other things are much better"

"Down boy," River smirked.

"Would you like to go to lunch?" the Doctor offered but he knew the answer. Someone was going to say it eventually, just to get it out of the way.

"Perhaps another time sweetie, in fact I insist on it," they shared a bittersweet smile made more so by the Doctor's silence. Dinner was served and they ate quietly, glancing at each other every so often when words surfaced in the Doctor's mind.

 _People like me and you, we should say things to one another_

He knew where the words had come from but it was like reading text on a screen. No cadence, no tone. Just words heard from the other side of a wall, the odd phrase slipped out but made little sense. The neural block certainly felt like a wall in his mind and more than once, he prodded at it but didn't try to take it down. He knew why it had to stay up and hoped perhaps that one day he could take it down and reclaim his memories. Until then, he made due with the toneless words and hollow recollections. "Stop it," River interrupted his musing. "I know what you're doing and stop it. You're worse than a child picking at his scabs. Let yourself heal." He had told her everything he could about Clara and to River, the block was like a bandage to help him handle losing Clara. It looked like it was working, considering he wasn't trying to stop River from going to her death. But then again, he knew River really wasn't going to die. He hadn't accepted death, he was merely comforted by foreknowledge.

 _People like me and you, we should say things to one another_

She was right, "She's always right," the Doctor whispered. "Even when I can't remember her."

"Sorry what was that?" River stopped mid-bite.

"River, I need to say something -"

"Doctor don't, please," River nearly begged.

"Why do you assume it's something bad? I could be complimenting your dress," the Doctor said.

"Oh sweetie, even after twenty-four years you still wouldn't know whether or not I was looking good," River huffed a laugh.

"That because to me, you always are," the Doctor sipped his wine. "Listen River, I have to say this because I don't know what time has in store for us and if I will get another chance. What I told you that night in Stormcage still holds true. I'm not sure how long it will be from now but it is getting closer. One day I won't know you but," he leaned forward, "I'll always be on your side. You mustn't forget that. Ever."

"You're saying goodbye," River left the table to brace the balcony and the Doctor followed. "You know I've read the stories -"

"I still wish you hadn't."

"Is this really the end of us?" River began tearing up.

"The end? I like to think not," the Doctor shook his head. "The man you married was born on the day he knew nothing about you. You gave me hope River Song and still do because at one time I thought I'd never see you again and yet here we are. You're the reason I can sit here and still believe the winds might blow just right again and another song will play. This isn't a 'goodbye forever' River."

"Then what is it?"

"It's the only goodbye I can possibly accept, the only one I can bear to give," he held her shoulders gently, "As if we will see each other again."

River swallowed, "Until next time Doctor."

"When we meet again Dr. Song," the Doctor bid.

"Goodbye…sweetie," River managed before embracing the Doctor. They held each other fiercely, the tears freely falling between them. River sniffed, "The sun is coming." The Doctor looked and sure enough the sky had turned pink, and the very edge of enormous Darillium sun peeked out on the horizon. They clung to each other even tighter, their time was coming to an end. Suddenly the winds picked up considerably and the Towers began to sing, loud and clear.

"See I told you," the Doctor murmured and they watched Towers sing for the final time. "One last song."

 **A/N: Hey guys, so yeah I've got it into my head that Doctor could probably break the neural block if he wanted to and it probably isn't as effective as it would have been on Clara. That being said, he does remember enough on his own to know why it needs to stay up and also remembers the lesson about life and death which is why he isn't fighting River. He knows everyone must die, but as River so eloquently put it, all the skies in all the universe might just turn black if he ever actually accepted it.**


End file.
